The beginning of the global crisis

This year saw one of the important events of the monarchy. Balkan Peninsula has undergone major political changes and the Emperor Franz Joseph I wanted to preserve the peace, Austria and Russia's agreement to cooperate with St. Petersburg.

Under the emperor's time for the annexation of Bosnia and Herzegovina and 6 October wrote a statement in which Austria extended its ownership of both provinces. For sixty years reign was the first territory to Franz Joseph I won. Expected, but what will happen to the annexation of the vicious response. Annexation has annoyed many rulers in Italy were less protirakouské demonstration. Bosnia and Herzegovina to the border with Serbia and Serbia both considered their province. Clearly to prepare land for large and terrible battle.

In March 1909, Serbia has undertaken, under strong pressure from Russia, to smooth relations with Hungary and Austria recognized the annexation. Serbs at a time pulled back and waited for his chance.

In February 1910 proposed the Bosnian governor and General Marian Varešanin to any of the Habsburg visited the new province. 30th May arrived in Sarajevo by the emperor himself. In the main Bosnian town of Franz Josef I spent four days driving through the city always in an open carriage and visited spas Idža. 3rd June, the Emperor returned to Vienna, soon after his return from Bosnia was the governor Varešanina assassinated.

The Governor of any injury suffered, the striker Bogdan Žerajič the last bullet shot himself. The investigation of this incident revealed that the striker watched the Emperor's visit, and even the emperor got so close that if she could even touch. Attempted murder of a monarch broke his dignified old gentleman's face, because his plan did not materialize Žerajič.

In the summer of 1911 Serbia brief military victory achieved by pulling in Bulgaria. This year was among army officers in Belgrade, an important secret Black Hand organization, the task was to unify the Serb minority in the Habsburg Empire and Turkey with their compatriots in Serbia.

Austrian Emperor Franz Joseph I was losing patience with the Serbs, was convinced of the need for preventive intervention, therefore appointed Foreign Minister Leopold von Brechtolda to surrender ultimatum to the Serbian Minister Nilolovi Pašice. Since 18 October 1911 Serbia had eight days in which to leave the Albanian territory, or bear the consequences. Pašice realized that with the support of other countries can not count, and therefore withdrew.

After the assassination of the heir Franz Ferdinand d'Este, 28th June 1914 the situation is blurred and the long discord between all the powers vygradovaly to the first declaration of war, it became the 28th July 1914, when Austria-Hungary declared war on Serbia. The day gave the Emperor Franz Joseph I. manifesto "my peoples" in which he wrote that he never wanted war, but was forced by circumstances to her.